If you're mission-minded but haven't hit the full-time mission field, then there's a good chance you've focused your attention on your daily surroundings. Namely, your workplace. The workplace is a swarm of humanity, all needing to know the saving message of Christ, and as a believer with a heart for evangelism, this is your ground zero for missions. If you're not mission-minded, the idea of spreading the gospel in your workplace could be an absolutely terrifying concept. At least with short-term mission trips or even long-term ones, you can leave, and those you may have offended or annoyed will stay behind. But the workplace? It seems like a minefield of potentially bad scenarios if you even breathe the name of Christ, let alone utter a remotely religious statement.
So whether or not you're mission-minded, the foundational elements of Christ's gospel message are still true and haven't faded. "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" has not lost its relevance. Does this mean we are to spread the gospel in our workplace? And if so, how on earth are we to do it?
You may have boldness and want on your side, or you may have reticence and absolute terror holding you back. But the truth is, Jesus has instructed us not to hide our light under a bushel, which means staying silent, or worse, pretending we're non-religious, isn't fulfilling the Great Commission.
However, we live in a society where religious chatter is typically not well-received or considered offensive, narrow-minded, pushy, rude, and not meant for the workplace. So how do we spread the gospel in the workplace when religion tops the list of the "don't talk about" and shares a table with politics?
1. By Your Love
There's an old song we used to sing at Sunday night worship where the lyrics stated, "they will know you are Christians by our love." Love has become an abused word in today's dictionary. Either it's taken very lightly and applied to things that we very much would not sacrifice ourselves for, or it's associated with being so inclusive that it fails to correct or stand against things are that are definitively morally wrong.
But love is defined in the Scripture as the most significant thing we can offer, and when we look to the Scriptural examples of what love is, it comes down to self-sacrifice. Love isn't limited to smiling and accepting everything about everyone. It also isn't something to be used tritely with a backhanded wave as we toss a "love ya" toward someone we'd be fine never seeing again.
Loving as Jesus loved is simple to summarize but challenging to live out. Jesus loved by giving up His life for the salvation of others. Giving up Himself. Giving up His rights. Giving up His place and status. Giving up His power. And the list goes on.
Can you spread the gospel by being self-sacrificial at work? Absolutely! When you sacrifice for your fellow employees, this gets noticed. Because, above loving them for whatever they do or say or are, is the act of sacrifice. When you sacrifice yourself on behalf of another, it goes against the grain of human nature. Frankly, it goes against the entitlement era of our culture where seeing self-fulfillment and success is lauded as a good thing.
You may be surprised how self-sacrifice opens the doors in the future for someone to ask why you do that for others? Or what makes you so willing to set yourself aside? And then, the message of your Savior's example is much easier to broach because your actions have added validity to your beliefs, and you're no longer spouting words but instead using them to support your Christlike lifestyle.
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2. By Our Ethics
This doesn't necessarily mean publicly identifying everything you see in your workplace that dishonors the Lord. Keep in mind, unless fellow believers surround you, most people in your workplace don't have the same set of God-given laws and instructions to follow. Their behavior then isn't held to the same standard simply because they've never claimed to be under the same standard.
But you have made those claims. If by no other way than attending church on Sunday or claiming to be a Christian. If your actions and lifestyle do not support the gospel message, your hypocrisy will be quickly pointed out. Granted, grace is needed because we will never be perfect examples of sinless living. Still, our ethics is a big start in proving our devotion and beliefs aren't founded in personal preference but in truth.
Even if it hurts our own position or status, practicing honesty is important. Being upfront in the face of thievery, maltreatment of others, etc., supports the basic ethics of your faith. You might pay a cost for it, but those around you will see your actions, and those who are seeking and even those who aren't, may very well have a deep respect for your stand against the unethical.
3. By Our Words
Standing on a soapbox is probably not the wisest way to spread the gospel in your workplace. While HR has limits as to how much they can discriminate against an employee's religious beliefs, you also have limits as to how much you can indoctrinate others before it circles back to being a black blot on your record.
But words are powerful things, and they don't necessarily need to be saturated with evangelism, or the name of Jesus, or pointing out sin and the need for forgiveness. Sometimes—no, often—our words set us apart and bear witness to our faith simply by refraining from coarse conversation, coarse language, topics that would be dishonoring to the Lord, and more.
There was a co-worker who once asked his boss how they believed that God was real? Dumbfounded by the very blunt and seemingly random question, their boss responded in kind by asking, "Why do you think I believe God is real?" Their answer stunned their boss. "Because it's obvious that you do. You're always quietly walking away when we start cursing or getting raunchy with our stories. You pray to yourself before you eat. You don't cuss. So, you obviously believe in God. How do you know He is real?"
A question like that, merely from observation, opened a door for the boss to share not only their faith in the existence of God but the power of Jesus Christ. And, this is a true story, not one made up for illustration purposes.
Evangelism does not have to be overt. It doesn't have to be blasted throughout your office, plastered across your t-shirt, or infused in every sentence that utters from your mouth. Evangelism is a lifestyle. It is a state of the heart. It is a decision to honor the Lord with your actions, beliefs, and words, and allows those to speak to the relationship you have with Christ. And, when those questions are asked, or the intimate opportunity arises where your words of gospel that are uttered are welcome and wanted, they come with power, authority, and backed by not only you but ultimately, by Jesus Himself.
Originally published Wednesday, 20 April 2022.